Greater Milwaukee Hardwood Floor Installers

Installing Prefinished Hardwood vs. Solid Hardwood

Prefinished hardwood floors are ready to install, allowing for speedy setup and instant use once completed. The floors have a durable, factory-applied surface for simple installation and no need for on-site sanding and finishing. This results in less mess, faster installation, and less inconvenience to your house. Solid hardwood floors are made entirely of a single piece of wood, which is typically 3/4 inch thick, allowing for several refinishing chances over their lifetime and offering the timeless, authentic charm that many homeowners seek.

While engineered wood provides numerous design options and is still regarded as a genuine wood product, it differs significantly from solid hardwood floors. In contrast, engineered wood floors are made out of many layers of plywood or high-density fiberboard (HDF) with a solid wood veneer on top. The top layer can be made of a variety of wood species, including oak, hickory, maple, birch or bamboo. The multi-layer architecture improves stability and tolerance to moisture and temperature variations, making engineered wood appropriate for installation in situations where solid hardwood is not suggested, such as basements or over-radiant heating systems.